Friday, April 30, 2010

“On the day you were born, I looked in your eyes, cuddled you close, and knew the world would never be the same.I counted your fingers and toes, whispered in your ear, and sang you a lullaby.”

Thus begins a very precious journey around the world in Marla Stewart Konrad’s picture book Just Like You. Newborn after newborn is greeted by their mother and relatives with customs unique to the child’s country of origin, and each country of origin is richly illustrated with colorful drawings of native locations, dress, animals and cultural activities. Although each child is born in very different circumstances, each one is greeted with great love and special moments that will forever mark the day of their birth.

The author uses the repetition of some phrases to indicate, to me anyway, that no matter the country of birth, there is a distinct sameness between the birth of each child, and that whoever God elects to be their family, they should be cherished and loved as a special gift from God. As the story comes full circle, the reader ends in the home of the same family that opened the story with the new mother pondering the fact that the miracle of birth is occurring simultaneously around the world.Lin Wang’s illustrations offer a feast for the eyes throughout the book, and as the child grows in language ability and understanding, parents will be able to teach a wide variety of information to their older toddler. Just Like You is a precious book, and it would make a beautiful shower gift that will be appreciated by both parents and child for years to come.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Marla Stewart Konrad is keenly interested in global issues and has a special concern for the well-being of children. Her career as a speechwriter and communications professional has taken her to numerous countries in Asia and Africa. She lives near Toronto, Canada, with her family, and is the author of several books for children.

This book was provided by Zonderkidz for review, and this post is part of the FIRST blog alliance blog tour.

Disclaimer

I just wanted to state clearly here on my blog that the books I review are provided to me in exchange for my opinion and thoughts. I am a member of two blog alliances and I work directly with publicists and publishers at their request to review a variety of Christian fiction and non-fiction books. I receive no compensation other than free copies of the books to read, and when a give away is offered, that copy of the book is also provided by the publisher for that exact purpose.

I give my opinions both positively and negatively and will continue to do so as time permits and as I am able. I do this because I love to read and I love to share my thoughts with others who love good books and Christian stories.